Apparatus in which abrasive, corrosive or other damaging material is processed by contact with moving shaft-mounted members is prone to damage by such materials. These penetrate and damage portions of the shafts and/or adjacent packing provided to prevent the materials from reaching the bearings in which the shafts move.
It is known to employ fluid distribution rings with air, steam, water and grease purges to assist in barring entry of such materials into the packing, adjacent portions of the shafts and the bearings. There is however a need for improvements in the centering and sealing capabilities of these devices. The present invention is intended to fill either or both of these needs. But the invention has even broader applications, as will be shown below.